Evaluation of fuel cycle options for plutonium utilization: 1976 study. Final report

The study was conducted to reconcile an existing divergence of opinion on the value of plutonium recycle in light water reactors. Included were a parametric study of the effect of the primary variables, the assumed costs of U3O8 and reprocessing. A concerted effort was devoted to develop a realistic estimate of the most likely cost of reprocessing light water reactor fuel. Computations were based upon the 1975 ERDA moderate-low prediction of a nuclear electrical capacity of 800 GWe in the year 2000. Reprocessing costs for LWR fuel were estimated to be $150/kg of heavy metal (1975 dollars) with an associated range of $100/kg to $250 kg. The analysis showed that even with the pessimistic value, plutonium recycle is economically preferable to a no-recycle mode of fuel management